Resurrecting the First American West

Kentuckey County Kentucky County the 15th April 1780

I got here the 4th Inst. after a Journey of ten Days through a uninhabited Country the most rugged and dismal I ever passed through, there being thousands of dead Horses & Cattle on the Road side [which] occasioned a continual Stench; and one Half the way there were no Springs [which] compelled us to make use of the water from the Streams in [which] many of these dead animals lay; and what made the Journey still more disagreeable was, the continual apprehension we were under, of an attack from the Indians, there not being one Day after we left Holston Holston, but news was brought us of some Murders being committed by those Savages, and the vast numbers met, [returning?] on that acct, contributed not a Little to alarm us; especially as we were to pass by [very?] narrow Precipices & places behind [which] they, in Times of war have constantly [struck: way] laid; but three of us pushed on and were fortunate enough to escape. There have few Days passed since I came here without some mischief being done in this County, and we have just now heard of one Mr Nourse Mr. Nourse who was killed & scalped two Days ago. The Country has been very little explored since the passing of the Land - Law, the Indian War, the Business before the Comissioners and the severity of the winters having prevented it. I find that the Comissioners here have granted certificates for Settlements & Pre Emptions for all the prime Land in this Country some of them having entered largely into the Land Business by purchasing claims then sitting in [Judg?] upon them, and granting certificates to themselves; and in order to procure Land have admitted hundreds of Claims entirely out of the Letter & meaning of the Law. My Brother George Georgehas been very industrious in procuring Locations & has enabled me to enter all our military warrants, I believe very well; and I hope I shall procure Locations enough for the others

as well as the the Treasury Warrants: I shall be obliged by taking a List of the Land already appropriated to undertake to locate myself, not being able to procure the assistance of anybody here without giving one Half the Land, [struck: and] those whom I depended on being too much interested [struck: to] themselves to give me any assistance. I have had an offer for some of my warrants here but have not yet come to any agreement, the Terms not being agreeable to me but as it is just now discovered that warrants of the first Date are to be first entered, ours will shortly sell well, I expect. To prevent our running any Risque, I have written to the Attorney to enter Caveats in your and my names agst. each other in order to try the validity of [illegible] Claims, in order that the Land may be secured at all Events. I have not heard from you since I left Wmsburg Williamsburg, but am in daily Expectation of a Letter &c as the Spaniard are in Possession of all the lower Parts of the Missippi Mississippi, I propose, after finishing the Business upon [which] I came out, to make a voyage down the River to see what sort of navigation we shall have. There is at present an excellent market for all Kinds of Goods at the Falls; and there will shortly be a Strong Garrison 500 miles below on the River, the supplying of [which] would be an object worth your attention, especially as it could be done without bring Boats into the dangerous Part of the River. I propose to carry down skins & Furs to pay my Expenses and if you can direct me what to do with them in Case I should not meet with a market, and also point out some mode for my maintenance at New Orleans I will do with them what you direct. It is on yours as well as my own acct. that I mean to undertake this voyage, as the value of Land here will much depend on the Convenience

of navigation. I propose also to go to the Illinois where I expect something considerable may be done in the Land way. I wrote to you from Botetourt advising you to purchase old Officers Surveys as soon as possable, I now repeat the advice: you need not hesitate about Price provided you can [struck: find? it] get it on the River at or near the Falls; the Prices here are past all Conception, and for those Places in a short Time a Man may make his own Terms. The Land [which] I have seen exceeds my Expectat[illegible] for Goodness of Quality, but falls short as to the adva[illegible] water & navigation; but I have not been within [illegible] Miles of the Ohio River yet. The Land I have located [illegible] low down on the Ohio River or some of its [illegible] to [illegible] as much more there as I can in preferen[illegible] some thing better, more remote.

Mr Samuel Beall adieu John May

P. [illegible] we have just now heard of 4 other persons being killed near us which I fear will prevent us from surveying for some Time. April 17th 1780

Kentucky 15th April [80?] John May. All the military claims are Located by himself with the advise of his Brother George arrived at Kentucky 4 April 1780

To Mr Samuel Beall in Williamsburg

To be left with E Randal[illegible] Esqr.

Charles W. Short Louisville 17th July 1818

Sir-

I am travelling through the Western States for the purpose of exploring their natural productions. Your name was mentioned to me by Mr. Nuttall in Philadelphia, who told me I could see you in Lexington, where I meant to go; but your brother whom I became acquainted with in Cincinnati and with whom I spent a pleasant day at the north bend, has acquainted me with your removal. I regret exceedingly that I cannot visit your part of the country and see your herbarium, as it is my wish to become acquainted with the geographical range of all the plants of the western country. I have seen a few of your plants at your brother's and have determined most of them, having with me [Pursh's?] [Flora?] & [?] Sinopsis I am able to determine any plant that I see, I will mention the Orchis spectabilis of [?] as an instance, which you sent to your brother as an unknown plant. The principal purpose of this Letter is to propose you the following arrangement. I am going now to Henderson and Harmony. I shall come back here again afterwards, and from thence go to Lexington, where I hope to be in one month, and where I shall remain some time: if it is agreeable to you, I would propose that you might send there your herbarium for my perusal, or any part of it as you may deem convenient. I will in return determine for you all the plants it contains; if you have any duplicates that you can share, I should receive them

gratefully, and endeavour to tender you a suitable return by sending you some of my works, such as the flora of Louisiana & meantime I beg leave to hand you separate by [mail?] my printed circular.

You may write me here to let me know your intentions or in Lexington. You might send your plants to our mutual friend, Mr John D. Clifford, or Dr Brown, or any other friend of yours. If you could call there yourself, it might be very agreeable to both, you might them see the collections I have made in coming and in the W. States; I have discovered already several new genera and abt. new species of plants.

I do not know if you have paid any attention to [animals?] and fossils: if you have any notice on fishes, shells, fossils & they will be very acceptable. I have already described [around?] 30 species of shells of the Ohio, all new! and abt 20 species of fishes, mostly [such?].

I remain very sincerely & respectfully Your obedt Srv, Constantine Samuel Rafinesque of the R. [?] of Naples [Philad.?] Soc. of New York Lycineum of Nat. Hist. N.Y. [Acad?] of Nat [Sc.?] [Philadephia?]

Louisville Ky 21 July 18 1/2 Dr. Charles W. Short Hopkinsville Christian County Kentucky

C. S. Rafinesque 17th July 1818

Extract of a letter dated Fayette in Kentucky May 3. 1787 Although we are not infrequently visited by the savages; yet and altho our separation is become a serious matter as it seems to be drawing nigh; yet the public mind seems most attracted to our commercial prospects, of which the navigation of the Mississippi is our main hope. - I agree with you that the treaty with Spain, might have a happy tendency to turn our thoughts to manufactures, and back and in some degree compensate for the loss of trade. But then have you attentively considered that our country is and will be for a long time in want of hands, that bulky articles most be our first exports, and that if those articles be on hand and or cannot find a proper market, the value of our fine lands, will sink, and we gradually descend to misery and contempt, as much so as if our property lay in the dominion of an Italian prince or a Turkish Bashaw.

It was not until the beginning of this month that I received your very friendly letter of dated the 20th of March last. It happened to fall into hands that were none of my friends. I expected that the one word in the reccommendation of February last would be found fault with, by some of the Council but as it was an affair in which I was mentioned I did not care to propose corrections, and some of the court was seemingly in as warm a temper as I suppose some of the members of the executive although for a contrary reason. As to myself I am perfectly easy; if I was an ambitious aspiring man, I surely would not think it an honor to be a County Justice of the Peace especially to be associated with weak and ill-meaning men, characters that is a burlisque upon the most inferiour kind of judiciary bodys- Mayor Mitchel is a Mansfield to some that now sits on the Bench in Washington. As to my procuring a Certificate from Wm. Edmiston, I shall never do it, he is too mifleing a character, to establish any mans reputation, being grossly ignorant; but meanly lead and dictated to by Gol. Mussell, the letter the Executive received is noy this letter writer's, but Mr. Mussells, for Edmiston can neither write nor read, at least intelligibly. - I have infinitly a preferable means to justify myself, than such Certificates, that is the approbation of my own conscience and the almost unanimous suffrages of my County-men to a must something more important and honorable than being a member of an inferior judiciary. The honbl Bolling Starke Esq.

James Garrard, Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, from whom these presents shall come, Greeting: KNOW YE, that Thomas Arnold Esquire, whose name is subscribed [?] the instrument of writing hereto annexed was at the time of subscribing the same clerk of the Paris district court, and that John Allen Esq. was at the same time one of the Judges of the said court, they having been [?] and commissioned, and full faith is and ought to be given certificates and other official acts.

In Testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the State to be affixed, at Frankfort, on the 20th day of June in the year of our Lord, One thousand eight hundred and three.

James Garrard By the Governor, Harry Toulmin Secretary